Baker&#39;s oven



Nov. 28, 1939.

Filed Sept. 19, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l 0 0 Q o O 0 O 000 l2 4 as] in 73 ,W H J E J0 Q7 w lll {F l1 5 7 I) "Z l s 0 INVENTOR. Lem; E. ci/zze/r ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 28, 1939 UNI ED STATES PATENT; orrice BAKERS OVEN a Lewis E. Glezen, Albion, Mich, assignorto Union Steel Products Company, Albion, Mich. Application September 19; 1938, Serial No. 230,573 7 Clainis. (oi. 107-59) This invention relates to improvements in bakers ovens.

The main objects of my inventionare:

First, to .provide a bakers oven of the continuousirotary type having improved means for guiding or counterbalancing the. shelves thereof during their orbital movement-to eliminatethe possibility of chattering orbreakage.

. secondtoprovide anoven of the type described having counterbalanced. guide means for controlling the rotation thereof, which. is of simple and improvediconstruction.

Third, .to provide anoven of therotary. type having a pluralityv of shelves mountedfor orbital travel and improved guiding and compensating means for assuring that the orbit of. travel will remain substantially, unchangedzfi I I Further objects relating to details and econ omies of my .inventionwill' definitely appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claims. I

A- structure, embodying the features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying. drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an end view of a .bakers oven partiallybroken awayand inverticalsection, illustrating the relation of my improved guide means to the oven elements.

Fig. 2 is anenlarged fragmentary view in section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view illustrating Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view'in section on a line corresponding to line 6-6 of Fig. 3 further illustrating a detail ofthe counterbalance.

The present invention relates to bakers ovens of the type illustrated in the application of Charles T. Hatch, Serial No. 105,663 filed October 15, 1936, which matured March 7, 1939, into Patent No; 2,149,439, wherein means are provided to the end that the orbital travel of a plurality'of shelves on a rotary oven will remain substantially undisturbed during the orbital. travel' of the shelves. The aforesaid J application discloses resilient counterbalancingimeans for this purpose.

The present invention resides inimprovements of the'device shown and claimed in the aforesaid Hatch application, the improvements consisting in the simplification in the counterbalanci'ng mechanism'and further in alterations to be described. 7

'Referring to the drawings, the referencev numeral I in general indicates acontinuous rotary bakers-oven including a rotary spider 2 mounted 10 on a shaft'3' journaled in the end walls ief the oven in an appropriate manner. Spider 2 carries rigidly projecting radial arms 5'to the ends of which are pivoted the'respective shelves 6'. In 7 order to prevent haphazard pivotal movement of the shelves on their supports, they are articulated by means of links I extending-between and pivotally connected to the endsof a plurality of depending cranks8"secure'd to [the shelves 6: at the pivots thereof and adjacent oneof the ends 2 of the shelves. The shelves have further depending arms 9 similarly connected to the shelves fiatthepivotpoints of the latter adjacent the other end of the oven, 1. e.,' the far oven wall 4 inwFig. l, and pivoted at their free ends to a 25 continuous guide ring l9- of channel section. The foregoing :structure' is generally similar to that illustratedand. described inthe Hatch application referred to above.

For the purpose of resilie'ntlyengagingi ring 6 H] during the rotation "(of spider 2 and thereby counterbalancing: the same against movement out of its proper orbital path, I provide apair ofring engaging rollers I! which are resiliently thrust against the flanges of the ring from oppo- 3 site'sides;

In order to'support the'rolle'rs H 'for resilient engagement-with the'ring, I provide a frame-l2 which is bolted to :one of theend Walls 4 of the oven; in-the embodiment illustrated the far wall in Fig. '1. Thev frame is spaced inwardly from the wall'and has a' pair. of vertical portions l3 to each of Which is pivoted an arm ldrotatably vweight is counterbored at 23 in alinement with bore 2| and the rod I9 carries a washer 24 and nut 25 disposed in counterbore 23 as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The weight 22 normally rests on a suitable ledge 26 bolted to the oven wall 4 so that none of the weight thereof is borne by rod I9. other words, the rollers H are initially andnormally urged against ring l0 mainly by their own weight and the weight of arms [4, I5. Should the ring 80 be displaced excessively to one side or another due to uneven loading of the shelves I or for another reason, one of the rollers H will be correspondingly displaced angularly in opposition to the force of its own weight to elevate rod I9. Provision is made that the rod may travel, say, three-quarters of an inch upwardly before picking up the safety weight 22. The weight of the extra counter-balance or safety weight 22 is generally suflicient to resiliently resist further displacement of the ring. If desired, a suitable warning signal (not shown), such as a hell or light, may be actuated at any desired position of weight 22 to warn the operator.

Frame I 2 is adjustably mounted on wall 4 by means of the frame securing bolts 21 extending through elongated openings 28 in the frame whereby the latter may be shifted to one side or another to regulate the action of rollers ll on ring ID. A stop 29 adjustably bolted to the frame limits the swing of the rollers in the direction toward ring H).

The above described resilient counterbalancing device is extremely simple in nature, but very effective. By the provision of a pair of opposed counterbalancingrollers H coacting with opposite sides of ring ill, the ring is efficiently counterbalanced in both directions of its movement with a minimum of duplication of parts. It is generally sufiicient to employ but a single pair of counterbalancing rollers on a single ring at one end of the oven conveyor or spider; however, in large installations it may be necessary to duplicate the provisions at the opposite ends. Furthermore, the shelf articulating links I may be furnished at both ends of the oven, if desired. The device guides the orbital travel of the shelves and, due to the resilient nature of its counterbalancing action, absolutely prevents binding such as is apt to result in chattering of the parts and breakage. Such chattering and breakage are very undesirable because the former is noisy and causes loaves to settle during baking. As for the latter, the expensive nature of ovens of the type under consideration makes it wise to employ every precaution to prolong the life thereof.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodiment which is very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a bakers oven having a rotary spider carrying a plurality of pivoted shelves, means for linking the shelves for angular movement on their pivots as a unit, and means for guiding the shelves during the orbital travel thereof'comprising a continuous annular guide ring, means for pivotally suspending the ring from the shelves, 2. pair of guide rollers disposed on one side of the oven to engage opposite faces of the ring, means for pivotally mounting said rollers on the oven and means for counterbalancing said rollers against the ring as a unit comprising a pair of bell cranks, each carrying one of the rollers on an arm thereof and pivoted on the oven, a depending rod connected to the other arms of the bell cranks and a weight adapted to be engaged and lifted by the. rod in the event the ring is displaced excessively to thereupon displace one of said counterbalancing rollers more than a predetermined amount.

2. In a bakers oven having a rotary spider carrying a plurality of pivoted shelves, means for guiding the shelves during the orbital travel thereof comprising a continuous annular guide ring, means for pivotally suspending the ring from the shelves, a pair of guide rollers disposed on one side of the oven to engage opposite faces of the ring, means for pivotally mounting said rollers on the oven and means for counterbalancing said rollers against the ring as a unit comprising a pair of bell cranks, each carrying one of the rollers on an arm thereof and pivoted on the oven, a depending rod connected to the other arms of the bell cranks and a weight adapted to be engaged and lifted by the rod in the event the ring is displaced excessively to thereupon displace one of said counterbalancing rollers more than a predetermined amount.

3. In a bakers oven having a rotary spider carrying a plurality of pivoted shelves, means for linking the shelves for angular movement on their pivots as a unit, and means for guiding the shelves during the orbital travel thereof comprising a continuous annular guide ring, means for pivotally suspending the ring from the shelves, a pair of guide rollers disposed on one side of the oven to engage opposite faces of the ring, means for pivotally mounting said rollers, and means for resiliently urging said rollers toward one another and against the ring in the event the ring is displaced excessively and thereby displaces one of said counterbalancing rollers more than a predetermined amount.

4. In a bakers oven having a rotary spider and a plurality of shelves pivoted thereto and carried thereby in an orbital path relative to the axis of rotation of the spider, means for guiding the shelves during the orbital travel thereof comprising a continuous annular guide ring, arms on the shelves, means for pivotally suspending the ring from the arms, a pair or" guide rollers disposed on one side of the oven to engage opposite faces of the ring, means for pivotally mounting said rollers on the oven, and means for resiliently urging said rollers toward one another and against the ring in the event the ring is displaced excessively and thereby displaces one of said counterbalancing rollers more than a predetermined amount.

5. A bakers oven including a plurality of shelves, means pivoted to the shelves and transporting the same orbitally, guide means for the shelves to control the orbital movement thereof including'a continuous annular ring, means connecting the ring to the, shelves for pivotal movement relative to the shelves, 2. pair of counterbalancing rollers supported at one side of the ed at one side of the oven and engaging opposite arcuate faces of the ring, and means for resiliently urging said elements against said respective faces to normally maintain the ring in its proper orbit, said last named means comprising a weight and elements whereby to elevate the weight in response to a predetermined displacement of either of the elements.

7. A bakers oven including a plurality of' shelves, means pivotally connected to the shelves for transporting the same orbitally, guide means therefor including a continuous annular ring, means for pivotally connecting the ring to the shelves, a pair of elements mounted at one side of the oven and engaging opposite arcuate faces of the ring, and means for resiliently urging said elements against said respective faces to normally maintain the ring in its proper orbit.

8. A bakers oven comprising a plurality of shelves, means to which the shelves are pivotally connected for transporting the shelves orbitally, means for preventing excessive displacement of the shelves during the orbital travel thereof comprising a ringpivotally mounted to the shelves and a pair of guide elements carried by the oven and engaging respectively the inner and outer arcuate faces of the ring, and means for resiliently the ring.

urging said elements as a unit in opposite directions against said faces when the displacement of the ring is excessive to thereby resist further displacement thereof comprising a weight and means connected to said elements and adapted to engage the weight when the displacement of the ring is excessive, there being provision for permitting,

a limited movement of said last named means and said elements priorto engagement of the last named means with the weight. Y

9. A bakers oven comprising a plurality of shelves, means to which the shelves arepivo-tally' connected for transporting the shelves orbitally,

means for preventing excessive displacement of theshelves during the orbital travel thereof com,- prising a ring pivotally mounted to the shelves and a pair of guide elements carried by the oven resist further displacement thereof compriisng means connected to said elements adapted to subject the same to a resilient force'res'isting displacement thereof by the ring, there being provision on said last named means for permitting a predetermined displacement of the elements prior to subjecting the same to said force.

10. A bakers oven comprising a plurality of shelves, means for transporting the shelves 0rbitally, means for preventing excessive displacement of, the shelves, comprising a ring pivotally mounted tothe shelves, and guide elements carried by the oven and engaging respectively the inner and outer arcuate faces of thering, and means for resiliently urging said elements against said faces upon predetermined displacement of LEWIS E. GLEZEN. 

